Apparatus for making photographic color print



United States haters-t APPARATUS FOR MAKING PHOTOGRAPHIC COLOR PRINT James S. Livingood, Jr., Glendale, Calif assignor to Drewry Photocolor, Corporation, Glendale, Calif, a corporation of California Application'August' 10, 1953, Serial No. 373,287

Claims. (CL 101-130) This invention relates'to'an apparatus for making photographic color prints.

The usual process for making color prints is a dye transfer process by which a paper-backed sheet of gelatine is placed upon a flat board which may consist of a sheet of black carrara glass. The first matrix of a particular color is then placed upon the gelatine surface to allow colored dye to be transferred. A roller is used to smooth out the negative and excess dye drains away. It is important that the board be horizontal to permit excess dye and acid rinsing solution to run off equally in each direction at time of contact. After the first matrix is removed a second matrix of a different color is aligned by means of-pins 01- by hand so that perfect registration is realized. The same method is utilized to obtain dye transfer and then the process repeated with athird matrix bearing a third color. Although heat is applied during each of the dye transfer steps the process isslow and expensive. A considerable handling of the boards is involved, which boards are heavy and bulky. The usual practice is for the technician to work on a large number of: boards at once in order that he may remove and apply dyed matrices'while waiting for the required time to elapse in'connection-with work on other boards;

It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus' upon which multiple boards may be utilized reducing the handlingof-same.

T here are two' main methods for transfer used, the type of dye determining'which is employed. The first, which is called the'wettransfer, is as follows: the sheet of gelatine surfaced paper is removed from a mordant solution and placed in position on the carrara glass transfer board. It is thensqueegee'd to remove all excess mordant solutionflowecl on the paper surface from a syringe, the matrix is positioned on the pins, and then. squeegeed into contact'with the paper. It is essential that this part of the operation be carried out with the transfer board in: the horizontal position. This insures an even flow of the acid solution on the paper surface and-prevents uneven transfer of. dye in light areas atthe moment of contact due to an excess of acid rinse building up at one place and a lack of acid at another. After contact is obtained and all excess dye and rinse is squeegeed or dried off the back of the matrix, itis not necessary to'rnaintain horizontal' position for the dye to transfer. Thesec'ond transfer method, which-is called the dry method, varies from the first method in that instead of flowing acidsol-ution over the surface of the paper, a head of solution is flowed across the end of the register pins, and contact is obtained with a roller, the bead of solution being pushed by the roller to flow the solution over the paper as contact is obtained. As in above, after contact and removal of all excess dye and acid solution, it is not necessary to maintain horizontal boards.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus wherein the boards are maintained in a hori- A thin film of acid solution is then v ice zontal position permitting proper drainage of the excess color material.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide hold-down means which will not interfere with'the' means for applying heat during the color transfer steps.

()ther objects and advantages will be readily apparent from the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a top plan view of an apparatus embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a section taken along line 2'2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of-one of the boards and hold-down members during a dye' transfer step.

A frame It) is provided for supportingtheapparatus with a stationary post 12 projecting vertically through a collar 14 mounted on said frame. Mounted on the post between upper bearing 16 and lower bearing 18 is a rotatable sleeve 20'which has secured thereto a collar 22' which supports the table 24 in a horizontal plane. Mounted upon frame 10 is an electric motor 26 which through suitable gearing drives a pulley 28. A belt 30 is trained around pulley 28 and pulley 32 which is mounted upon the underside of table 24 so that the table is rotated by the motor 26.

Mounted upon the upper surface of table 24 are'inciined drain pans 34 which are inclined towards the center of table 24 and terminate adjacent the drip pan In this embodiment six such drain pans are utilized which are mounted at their outer extremity upon suitable blocks 38 and .at their inner ends to the upper surface of the table.

The table 24 is provided with suitable drain tubes 40 which project through table 24"and deliver excess rinsing and coloring material into drip pan 36 which is'mounted upon sleeve 20.

Mounted above the drip pans are six boards 42 which are formed preferably of black carrara glass and are supported at their outer extremity by drain pans 34 and at their inner ends by blocks 44 so that the boards are horizontal. The boards are spaced an equal distance around the table 24 andform a support for the paper backed gelatin sheet 45-(see Fig. 3).

A matrix is then aligned with the gelatin sheetin-the usual manner and a roller utilized to smooth out the negative. The excess dye solution runs off the boards onto the drainpans and thence through drain tubes 40' and into drip pan 36;

A hold-down plate 46 for each board is pivotally mounted to a collar 48 which is mounted upon and rotates with table 24. The plates 46 are formed of glass and are urged by an over-center device to remain in the upright position (to the right in Fig. 2) when spring 49 is above the center of linkage 50 and in the hold-down position (to the left in Fig. 2) when the spring 49 is below the center of linkage 50.

Thus after a colored matrix is aligned with the gelatin sheet and is rolled the glass hold-down plate is pivoted to the lower or hold-down position and table 24 rotated one sixthof a revolution.

Positioned above the table 24 and mounted upon post 1-2 are 5 infra-red heat lamps 52. These lamps are so positioned that the one-sixth revolution: of the table above referred to, places each of the boards but one beneath a heat lamp. The sixth board is the one available for the operator to remove and replace the matrix or boards, etc. Also positioned above the table adjacent this sixth board are a pair of ordinary light globes 54 to illuminate the working area.

In operation a paper backed gelatin sheet 45 thereon is positioned on one of the boards 42 and the first colored matrix aligned therewith and rolled thereon. The glass of a revolution, placing this board underneath the first heat lamp. The glass hold-down plate does not interfere with the heat rays from the lamp and thus the matrix and gelatin are heated during the transfer process. In the meantime the second board is positioned before the work station. In this manner each board has applied thereto the first of the three-color negatives. When the original board returns to the work station the first matrix is removed and the second applied. In this manner sufiicient time is allotted for the dye transfer process without interrupting the printing process and without handling of the heavy glass boards. When all three-colored matrices have been subjected to the transfer process the paper backed gelatin sheet is removed and a new one positioned upon the board.

While What hereinbefore has been described is the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is readily apparent that modifications and alterations can be resorted to without departing from the scope of this invention and such modifications and alterations are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims- I claim:

1. In an apparatus for making photographic color prints the combination of: a rotatable table, a plurality of boards mounted in a horizontal plane on said table, hold-down means rotating with said table adapted to lie flush with the upper surface of a board, and heating means positioned above said table.

2. In an apparatus for making photographic color prints the combination of: a rotatable table, a plurality of glass boards spaced around said table and supported in a horizontal plane, a hold-down plate for each board pivotally mounted upon said table and rotating therewith, and heating means positioned above said table.

3. In an apparatus for making photographic color prints the combination of: a rotatable table, a plurality of glass boards spaced an equal distance from one another around said table and supported in an horizontal plane, a hold-down plate for each board mounted upon and rotating with said table, said plates pivoting from a position flush to said board to a position removed from said boards, and a plurality of heat lamps positioned above the path of rotation of said boards.

4. In an apparatus for making photographic color prints the combination of: a rotatable table, a plurality of glass boards spaced an equal distance from one another around said table and supported in an horizontal plane, a hold-down plate formed of a heat transmitting material for each board mounted upon and rotating with said table, said plates pivoting from a position flush to said board to a position removed from said boards, and a plurality of heat lamps positioned above the path of rotation of said boards.

5. In an apparatus for making photographic color prints the combination of: a rotatable table, a plurality of glass boards spaced an equal distance from one another around said table and supported in an horizontal plane, a hold-down plate formed of a heat and light transmitting material for each board mounted upon and rotating with said table, said plates pivoting from a position flush to said board to a position removed from said boards, and a plurality of heat lamps positioned above the path of rotation of said boards.

6. In an apparatus for making photographic color prints the combination of: a rotatable table, a plurality of glass boards spaced an equal distance from one another around said table and supported in an horizontal plane, a glass hold-down plate for each board mounted upon and rotating with said table, said plates pivoting from a position flush to said board ,to a position removed from said boards, and a plurality of heat lamps positioned above the path of rotation of said boards.

7. in an apparatus for making photographic color prints the combination of: a rotatable table, a plurality of glass boards spaced an equal distance from one another around said table and supported in an horizontal plane, a hold-down plate for each board mounted upon and rotating With said table, said plates pivoting from a position flush to said board to a position removed from said boards, and a plurality of heat lamps positioned above the path of rotation of said boards, and an inclined drain pan located beneath each board on said table.

8. In an apparatus for making photographic color prints the combination of: a rotatable table, a plurality of glass boards spaced an equal distance from one another around said table and supported in an horizontal plane, a hold-down plate for each board mounted upon and rotating with said table, said plates pivoting from a position flush to said board to a position removed from said boards, a plurality of heat lamps positioned above the path of rotation of said boards, and an inclined drain pan located beneath each board on said table, said drain pans emptying into a suitable drain adjacent the center of said table.

9. In an apparatus for making photographic color prints, the combination of: a plurality of boards, a conveyor advancing said boards along a path and presenting said boards in a horizontal position to a work station, a hold-down plate for each board pivotally mounted upon said conveyor and advancing with said boards, and heating means positioned along the path of said boards.

10. In an apparatus for making photographic color prints, the combination of: a plurality of boards, a conveyor advancing said boards along a path and presenting said boards in a horizontal position to a work station, a hold-down plate formed of a heat and light transmitting material for each board mounted upon and moving with said conveyor, said plates pivoting from a position flush to said board to a position removed from said boards, and heating means positioned along the path of said boards.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 750,306 Rouse Jan. 26, 1904 1,029,544 Horrath June 11, 1912 1,106,816 Ives Aug. 11, 1914 1,596,641 Weaver et a1. Aug. 17, 1926 2,221,849 Sartov Nov. 19, 1940 2,403,800 Hoyler July 9, 1946 2,609,747 Schwartz Sept. 9, 1952 2,647,337 Martin Aug. 4, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES Robach: New Principle in Colour Reproduction. Published in the British Journal of Photography. Vol. XXVI, No. 312, Oct. 7, 1932. Only page 39 made of record. (Copy available in Div. 17.) 

